Australian Guineas Winner Al Maher Dies at Age 23

Emirates Park has announced the death of its 2005 Australian Guineas (G1) winner Al Maher (Danehill) at the age of 23. Bred by the stud's founder, Hussain Nasser Abdullah Lootah, from a daughter of the "blue hen" mare Dancing Show, Al Maher would become one of Emirates Park's most accomplished racehorses before joining the farm's stallion roster in 2005 and remaining in service for 18 consecutive seasons—covering his last mare in September 2022. Under the guidance of Gai Waterhouse, Al Maher won the Australian Guineas at Flemington by 2 3/4 lengths over Danehill Express, sealing his place on the Emirates Park stallion roster for the coming breeding season. At stud, Al Maher would go on to sire 39 individual stakes winners, including group 1 winner and AU$10 million earner Private Eye (AUS), and fellow elite-level scorers Delicacy, Almalad, Fat Al, and Diamond Drille. "Very few thoroughbred breeding and racing concerns in Australia have realized a better outcome than that which emanated from the decision of the boss to put Show Dancing to Danehill," Emirates Park general manager Bryan Carlson said. "He very much became a cornerstone of the operation soon after Emirates Park had safely negotiated its formative period, and he has been instrumental in our success ever since. "Homebred group 1 winners that in turn sire group 1 winners rarely come along in any lifetime. Al Maher really couldn't have done much more both on and off the track."